The new AirPods 4 and Apple Watch will be unveiled next year, bringing several improvements: The iPhone 16 new button will support shooting videos

Apple's Apple Watch S9 appearance this fall continues the design of the previous two generations, with carbon neutrality and two-finger gestures as a buying point, which can be said to squeeze another toothpaste. However, the Apple Watch Series 10 (with an uncertain name) coming next year promises a major update.

According to Mark Gurman in his latest report, the Apple Watch lineup in 2024 is expected to introduce a slew of new features, with at least one model coming with a new design.

In a previous report, Mark Gurman mentioned that Apple is preparing a major update for the 2014th anniversary of the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch was launched on September 9 (and officially became available in April 2015), so it's unclear whether the “4th anniversary” specifically refers to 2024 or 2025. However, considering that the Series 10 will be coming next year, it is likely that the “10th Anniversary” model will be next year.

According to the leaks, the new Apple Watch may have a thinner design and a magnetic band mechanism, but for consumers, the health features may be more appealing. Mark Gurman said the next generation of Apple Watch will be able to detect high blood pressure and sleep apnea, which are common conditions that affect millions of people.

Apple Watch will detect high blood pressure through wrist-based blood pressure monitoring, which can tell users if their blood pressure is trending so they can report it to a medical professional. However, Apple Watch does not provide specific systolic and diastolic readings. In addition, Apple Watch will detect sleep apnea through sleep measurement and breathing patterns to let users know if the condition is present.

Apple maintains the frequency of Apple Watch updates that launch new models every year, so the next generation is expected to be released at the same time as the iPhone 2024 series on September 9.

AirPods 4

At present, Apple's AirPods product update cycle is roughly around 2.5 to 3 years, the base AirPods and AirPods Max will be updated next year, and the next-generation AirPods Pro 3 is expected to be launched in 2025.

The new news shared today by Mark Gurman points out that the AirPods 4, which will be unveiled next year, will have many new features that will be more appealing to consumers.

It's worth noting that the new AirPods 4 will be available in two versions at two different price points, with Apple aiming to replace the AirPods 3 and the lower-priced AirPods 2.

The new AirPods are expected to incorporate elements of the current AirPods and AirPods Pro in appearance, with shorter ear stems. The fit has improved, though it's unclear if Apple will adopt a silicone earbud design.

The redesigned charging case will include a speaker for Find My as well as a USB-C charging port. At the same time, the high-end version of the AirPods 4 will also come with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).

In addition, in a software update later next year, Apple plans to add a hearing aid feature to AirPods and will also offer a hearing test to inform AirPods users if they have hearing loss issues.

As for the AirPods Max, next year's update is likely to be relatively limited, supposedly only involving new colors and improvements to the USB-C port. The AirPods Pro won't be updated until 2025, when Apple will introduce a new design with a focus on comfort and a faster chip (H₃).

iPhone 16 Shoot button

We've mentioned many times that next year's iPhone 16 series may add a new button, which Apple internally calls the “Capture Button”. Now, Mark Gurman further points out that it will be a dedicated button “for shooting videos”.

A recent render of the iPhone 16 prototype shared by MacRumors shows that the capture button will be located in the bottom right corner of the iPhone 16, below the power button.

It is expected that the shooting button is not a traditional mechanical button, but a capacitive button with haptic feedback, possibly containing a sensor that can recognize pressure. It is currently speculated that photos or videos (especially spatial videos) can be taken depending on the degree of finger pressure.